In the spirit world, in the void in front of the gate of the first holy temple "Ruins of Creation·Forbidden Fruit Court", Shen Yue's fingertips still retained the colorful warmth of the "Rainbow Contract" pseudo-covenant fragment. The horror of the world-destroying torrent and the gratitude for rebirth after the catastrophe intertwined in the depths of his consciousness, and the solemn promise of the eternal contract of the Holy Lord seemed to still echo in his ears. He thought that the experience of the spirit world was temporarily over and his consciousness was about to return to reality.
However, the breath of the guardian spirit did not withdraw. An invisible but vast force once again seized his perception, and did not put him into a new role, but infinitely raised and pulled his perspective far away, to examine the profound imprint of the great catastrophe between heaven and earth, and the future signs hidden in the veins of the earth with an unprecedented grandeur and clarity.
A new order of living beings and great changes in the earth
Shen Yue's consciousness instantly connected to the moment when Yu Hong led the crowd out of the Tianzhou. He clearly felt the tremor in Yu Hong's heart - not entirely joy, but also a primitive fear. When the beasts that were suppressed in the boat and whose eyes were fierce due to hunger and fear set foot on the barren land with their tiny human family, the ancestor felt a sense of vulnerability that could be torn apart and devoured at any time. How could he coexist with the beasts that were much stronger than himself in this new world full of dangers with only his family?
Just as despair passed through Yu Hong's heart, a soft halo fell, and a spirit messenger came, bringing the comfort and new decree of the Holy Lord: "Yu Hong, don't panic. From today on, all beasts on the ground and birds in the sky will be afraid of you. All insects crawling on the ground and fish swimming in the water are in your hands. All living clean animals can be used as food, just like the green vegetables I have given you."
Shen Yue (Yu Hong's perception) was stunned. Before this, human food came from the production of fertile land. But this new permission is an inevitable adjustment after the torrent of destruction swept away all vegetation and cut off the original way of life. This is not only for survival, but also symbolizes the dramatic change in the relationship between man and nature - a new order based on deterrence rather than harmony, quietly established on the post-disaster earth. This is the expedient measure taken by the Holy Lord to prolong life after the turbid air eroded the world. It is also a redefinition of the responsibility of human beings to manage all things, but this responsibility has changed from protection to a certain degree of domination.
Immediately afterwards, Shen Yue's perspective was suddenly raised, like an eagle soaring in the sky, overlooking the entire world ravaged by the flood of destruction. The scene in front of him shocked his mind. The earth has changed beyond recognition. Due to the flooding of turbid air and the rebellion of mankind, this land has suffered the third terrible mark of heaven's punishment (the first two may refer to the impact of the exile of Eden and the exile of Cain).
The turbid flood slowly receded, revealing endless devastation and wounds. The mountains were broken, the gullies were crisscrossed, and countless distorted and deformed human and animal corpses floated on the water. The Holy Lord did not want these remains soaked in turbid air to pollute the air and breed plague, so he drove the strong wind.
The terrifying hurricane swept across the earth like an invisible giant hand. The violent wind stirred the water that had not yet receded, forming a huge vortex and impact. Some mountains that were not strong enough were flattened and washed away by the combined force of Feng Shui! Broken giant trees, jagged rocks, and rolling mud and sand were carried by the strong wind, like a funeral from heaven, piling up layer by layer on top of the corpses and burying them deep underground.
What shocked Shen Yue even more was that he saw that the gold, silver, and gems that symbolized wealth and caused countless greed and idolatry before the torrent of destruction, as well as the precious woods that were used to carve false gods and were extravagant, were also buried deep at this moment. The huge water and wind forces covered these fallen symbols with thick layers of mud and jagged rubble, and in some places even piled up new, more precipitous and steep mountains. The Holy Lord knows the human heart - the more abundant it is, the further sinners tend to be from reverence. Those treasures that should have glorified the Creator have become sacrifices to false idols. Now, these sources of temptation, along with those souls who refused to repent until death, are locked up by the earth.
What appeared before Shen Yue's eyes was a broken, chaotic, and traumatic scene. Most of the mountains that used to have smooth lines and majestic appearances collapsed and collapsed, with sharp edges and corners exposed, like wounds torn open by huge forces. The ground was covered with boulders and cliffs. Many once familiar landforms disappeared completely without a trace; in other places, new mountains suddenly rose on the originally flat plains.
This drastic change was particularly significant in some areas. Those places that were once rich in gold, silver and gems and full of material desires and turbid air were the most severely marked by the divine punishment and had their landforms distorted most thoroughly. However, those areas that were originally sparsely populated and had relatively thin turbid air were less affected.
Underground Fury and Omens of the End of the World
Shen Yue's consciousness penetrated the surface and penetrated into the texture of the earth. He saw that the vast primeval forests that covered the ground before the flood of destruction were now buried deep. Under the pressure of long years and the high temperature of the underground, these former life forms are slowly transforming into black coal seams and viscous oil - they will form the energy cornerstone for the operation of future civilizations, but they also contain the factors of destruction.
This is not a peaceful transformation. The coal and oil buried deep underground, like imprisoned anger, often spontaneously ignite deep in the strata. The scorching heat roasts the rocks and melts the veins. When water seeps into the ground and comes into contact with high-temperature substances (such as lime generated by heat), it triggers a violent chemical reaction, generates huge amounts of heat and steam, and accumulates unimaginable terrifying energy underground.
Thus, earthquakes, volcanoes, boiling fountains... these geological disasters have become the "normal" of this new land. When flames and water collide violently in rock layers or huge mines deep in the earth's crust, they will cause earth-shaking explosions, like thunder rolling underground. The air becomes scorching, followed by the roar of volcanoes, and red magma gushes out, tearing the earth and reflecting the red sky.
These accumulated energies often cannot find enough outlets, so the earth's crust trembles violently, the ground rises and falls like waves, and then suddenly cracks open a terrifying giant mouth, ruthlessly swallowing up the cities, villages, and even the burning mountains built on it.
The Holy Lord's voice resounded in Shen Yue's heart, majestic and solemn: "The depths of the earth are my arsenal. I once took out weapons (water and earth power) from it to cleanse the old world that was polluted by turbid air. After the torrent of destruction, the flames will also serve as my tool to burn the city of sin."
Shen Yue suddenly realized that these seemingly natural disasters were actually the manifestation of the Holy Lord's power and a warning to the world. In this way, He made those who despised the rules of heaven and indulged in turbid air tremble in front of the irresistible power, so as to recognize His righteous sovereignty. When people in later generations saw the mountains pouring lava, the rivers drying up, the cities destroyed, and the earth desolate, even the strongest warriors would be terrified, and those who originally did not believe would have to admit the vastness of the Holy Lord's power.
These amazing phenomena are not just in the past. The Holy Lord allowed Shen Yue to glimpse fragments of the future - in the last days before the arrival of the "Dawnbreaker", these disasters will become more and more severe and spread more widely. This is the omen that the earth will face the ultimate judgment again.
Future Judgment and Final Redemption
The ancient foresighted people had already glimpsed these apocalyptic scenes in spiritual revelation and recorded them in the secret chapters of the "Book of Years". Those powerful ancient words emerged in Shen Yue's mind, as if the Holy Lord, through the mouth of the prophet, declared to the future:
"May you split the sky and come down, may the mountains shake, like fire burning dry wood, like water boiling; may the enemies be frightened, and the nations tremble! You have done terrible things, and the mountains have shaken!"
"The Holy Lord... came with a whirlwind and a storm, and the clouds were dust under his feet; he drove the sea dry and dried up the rivers!"
And in the era when the "Oracle" comes again, even more terrifying changes in the world will take place:
"The mountains shook for Him, and the hills melted; the earth collapsed in front of Him "The world and its inhabitants will be torn apart! Who can withstand His wrath?"
"O Holy One, bend the heavens and come down in person; touch the mountains and make them smoke! Shoot lightning to scatter the enemies; shoot sharp arrows to confuse them!"
"Wonderful signs appeared in the sky and on the ground; blood, fire, and pillars of smoke!"
"Thunder, loud noises, lightning, and great earthquakes; such violent earthquakes have never been seen since the beginning of mankind!"
"The islands will flee away, and the mountains will no longer be seen. And hail heavier than rocks will fall from the sky and strike the people!"
When the final day comes, the fire of the sky and the fire of the earth will shine together. Mountains will burn like furnaces, pouring out torrents of molten lava, swallowing up fields and cities. The boiling magma will evaporate the rivers. The earth will crack, shooting out rocks and crashing into each other. Earthquakes and explosions will tear the world apart, a scene of doomsday.
In this way, the Holy One will completely eliminate from the earth those who are unrepentant, tainted by turbidity, and who have completely abandoned the spiritual covenant.
However, those who uphold the spiritual covenant and keep the covenant with a pure heart will receive the wonderful protection of the Holy One in this fire and shaking, just like Yu Hong's family was safe in the sky boat. The Holy One will be their solid rock, and they will enjoy stability under His shadow.
As the ancient poem chants: "The Holy One is my refuge; I have made the Most High my dwelling place. No disaster will befall me." "He will hide me in the day of trouble; He will keep me in the secret place of His dwelling." The Holy One's promise will never fail: "Because he loves me with all his heart, I will save him; because he honors my name, I will place him on high."
Comprehension and return
These grand, solemn and ultimate hopeful scenes are deeply imprinted in Shen Yue's soul. He understood the far-reaching impact of the flood of destruction - it not only changed the landscape, but also laid the groundwork for future judgment. He also understood the preciousness of the "Rainbow Contract" more - it was the merciful promise that the Saint still kept after the severe judgment, and it was the only light visible in the darkness.
The spiritual world surrounding him slowly stabilized, and he still stood in front of the First Temple. The fragment of the "Rainbow Contract" in his hand exuded a gentle and tenacious colorful light.
The voice of the guardian spirit finally sounded, meaningfully: "Shen Yue, what you see is the scars that the earth has suffered due to the turbid air, and it is also a mirror for the future. Remember all this. The road to repairing the contract is not only to look back to the past, but also to face the future. Go, with this understanding, and move forward."
A gentle force gently pushed him, and the spiritual world scene in front of him receded like a tide.
...
Reality, the Temple Library.
The ancient scroll of "The Book of Years" is still spread out. Shen Yue's consciousness completely returned, and he felt an unprecedented heaviness and a clarity that penetrated the fog. He picked up the feather pen, dipped the tip of the pen into ink, and wrote on the parchment:
"Sixth Enlightenment (Not Trial Completed): After the flood of destruction, the earth is scarred and the fire of judgment is hidden deep. If the turbid air remains, the punishment of the end of the world is inevitable. However, under the rainbow covenant, the spiritual covenant will eventually be protected. The warning for the road ahead is always in my heart."
The First Xuanji had been standing quietly beside him without knowing when. He watched Shen Yue finish writing silently, then picked up the parchment and read it carefully word by word. His old face showed an unprecedented solemnity.
"Shen Yue," Xuanji spoke slowly, his voice as deep as a bell, "What you have seen is no longer a simple record of the trial. This is the truth of the world and a sign of the future. This cognition is power and also a burden. The guardian spirit allows you to see it, which means that your mission is far beyond our imagination. Remember, no matter how the future changes, you must hold on to your spiritual contract like Yu Hong holds on to the sky boat and Dao Yan looks up at the stars. Go, child, prepare for the real trial, which may be... just outside this first temple."
Shen Yue raised his head and met Xuanji's gaze with endless profound meaning, and he nodded solemnly. He realized that the experience of the first volume "The Ruins of Creation·Forbidden Fruit Court" may have come to an end, but his real journey as an "Apostle of the Spirit World" has just begun. With awe of the scars of the earth and vigilance of the future signs, he will more steadily embark on the road of contract repair that is full of thorns but also leads to hope.